Suspension support for beds and the like



Nov. 6, 1923. 1,473,311

A M. O`FLANAGAN SUSPENSIGN SUPPORT FOR BEDS AND THE LIKE Filed June l2. 1922 7721,'ca e Z 0 Flanagan Y Patented Nov. 6, 1923.

L'ill MICHAEL ornnivaoan, or Rosooivnvioiv, tannini).V

SUSPENSION SUPPORT FOR BEDS AND THE LIKE.. Y f y Application filed .Tune 12,

To aZZ whom 15 may concer/ft.' i

Be it known that I, MICHAEL GFLANAGAN, Y

a citizen of Ireland, residing in Roscommon, in the county of Roscommon, Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspension Supports lfor Beds and the like, for which the following is a full and complete specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates toa mode of suspending a bed, couch, chair or the like in such manner that the bed or other device will tend to remain in a predetermined and preferably horizontal. plane irrespective of outside forces.

Specifically, my invention is addressed to remedying the rigidity of the support for a bed, chair or the like upon shipboard. The rolling and pitching ofa vessel causes seasickness or other discomforts resulting from the inability itself to the rapid changesin inclination of the deck of the vessel. Where the support, such as a bed or'chair, rests or isconnected directly to the deck or walls of the vessel, the changes in inclination of the vessel are transmitted to the passenger directly and without diminution'of force. Consequently, the passenger is called upon to makel the entire adjustment in position or to balance or brace himself to overcome of the movements of the ship.

I have discovered that the movements of the ship may be substantially neutralized by supportingthe chair or bed through means which permit the article of furniture to remain in a substantially horizontal plane or predetermined inclination Vregardless of the ships movements.V This isf accomplished by so proportioningthe suspending structure as to take advantage of the most desirableswinging movements. For example,r in the case of a swinging berth on shipboard wherethe longitudinal axis of the berth is parallel to the direction of ships travel the radius of relative movement in this plane between e berth and the ship is the full vertical distance from the berth to the ceiling or beam from which it is suspended.l The arc of oscillation is slight and does not ordinarily exceed approximately ten degrees. This movement may be likened tothe motion of a pendulum having the indicated length and oscillation. vWhen the occupant of the berthk moves upon it, the center of gravity of the berth and its load is vnecessarily of the human system to adapt thev iniuence Y seat. v v 4 v As illustrated in the drawingathe sup-` 1922. SerialrNo. 567,750.

shifted but due to the length of the pendu- .Y

lum the amountof angular adjustment is slight while lthe berth may be displaced" longitudinally for a material distance.

In the same example the lateral rolling of the ship is compensated for by the suspension of the berth from a relatively short pendulum having, in comparison with the above mentioned movement, a relatively larger are Vof oscillation andshorter lateral i displacement.

shortness of the ment, reducing the lateral displacement, reduces the space or clearance knecessary between adjacent berths. Throughoutthe following description it will be obvious that the purpose of the deviceis to stabilize the article of'furniture or tominimize its adjusting movements and that the operation It will be noted thatV the differs from the analogy of a pendulum be cause the article and its suspending means tend to remainin a vertical plane with re` spect to the horizon while the ship varies its inclination. thereto. The analogy applies however in all respects so far as the angles of adjustment are concerned. j

Another object of my inventionV is to so proportion the various elements of the suspension orl support that a minimum amplitude orfarc of movement is required to retain the supported structurein the desired position. i A i A device constructed according to my invention has marked advantages in economy,

ease of manufacture and readinessof manipulation. for transport and use by the individual passenger, as for installation Vby the shipowner. i Y A Y Other advantages of my invention will be evident from the following description and drawings in which I have illustrated one prlferred form which my invention may ta e. i

In the drawings, I Fig-l is a side elevation of one form of my suspension means as applied to a swinging bed or berth. A

Fig. 2 is. an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a detailed view'of. one form of ufastening Fig. 5 is a invention as appliedto a swinging chair or pendulum for lateral adjust- Y Its portability adapts it as well I perspective view showing this As above outlined,

'1 example, as shown in Fig.

ort consists of' a bar 7 connected intermediate the berth, chair or other article to be suspended and the part ot the vessel or other structure trom which the article is suspended. the direction which the the axis or' the the direction in which the maximum oscillations Voccur and upon the clearance allowed the berth. For

1, where the article takes the torni oit a rigid bed or berth, which it is desired to support in relatively stationary position with respect to the horizontal plane regardless ot' the vibration and oscillation of the vessel, the bar is placed along the longitudinal a-Xis ot the bed or berth. This brings the bar normally parallel with the longitudinal axis ot the vessel, the advantage of which will be brought out hereinafter. rEhe bar 7 may be ot tubar takes with respect to berth is dependent upon .bular metal, wood or other analogousmaterial. Fach end ot the bar has a cap in the form or' a hollow casting one end of which may be closed to form a cavity receiving the end ot the bar 7. This casting 8 has two eyelets 9 and 10 on opposite sides.

Eyebolts 11, each having an eye 12, are fastened in the ceiling 13 ot the vessel. These eyebolts are spaced substantially the width of the berth which is to be supported and laterally of the vessel as shown in Fig. 1.

A cable, rope, chain, rod or analogous member 141 is fastened in the eye 12 of one eyebolt and extends to the eyelet 9 of the casting 8. The member 111 when made ot flexible material then terms a bight around the iree end ot the casting 8 passing through the eyelet 9 in the opposite direction and thence by means of end 15 ot the member is connected to the eyelet 12 oi the opposite bolt 11. Two members 1d. 15 pass from each eyelet 12, one member 14 going to each casting 8 at opposite ends ot the bar 7 and returning with its free end 15 to the opposite eyelet 12. The lengths ot the cables are such as 1.o produce a tetrahedron having as its apices the castings 8 and the eyebolts 11. The manner in which the members 14 are wrapped around the tree ends ofthe castings 8 permit ot ready adustment to allow tor any ine-quality or irregularity in the plane of the eyebolts 11 or the upper deck 13. The bight of the member 14 establishes frictional engagement with the casting 8 in such manner as to retain any adjustment made. A cable 16 depends from each casting 8 and has tree ends 17 and 18. The end 17 passes through eyelet 10 of casting 8 around the casting and through eyelet 10 in the opposite direction from tree end 18. The ends 17 and 18 are fastened to standards 19y on the berth, hammock or other article 20. The bight of member 16 is readily adjusted around "casting 8 and maintains trictional engagement therewith. A member 16 depends trom each casting 8 and 'thus supports both ends of the structure 20.

The form oi casting 8fis shown in Fig. 4 to be constructed with eyelets 9 and 1() on opposite sides oi"l the casting and in the same plane at right angles to the cooperating bar 7. The member 14: is brought throughI the upper eyeiet 9 around the casting and back through eyelet 9, as shown, to form the tree end The member 16 has its tree ends passing through the lower eyelet 12 as indicated to form the tree ends 17 and 18. The Jree ends oi the flexible members 14-18 are connected as indicated in Fig. 2.

Where it is desired to use this form of suspension 'tor a chair 21 as shown in Fig. 5, it is preferable to place the bar 7 parallel to the chair back with the corresponding change in position ot the iiexible members P18 inclusive. This provides ample space to avoid interference with the occupant and maintains the desirable relation between the long and short radii ot adjustment as above described.

When installed in the manner described, the support or' the bed or other article ot furniture is maintained through a tetrahedron the opposite edges oit which form pivotal lines of adjustment at right angles each to the other.l The oscillation of the vessel is therefore resolved into motion in two perpendicular planes. The edge of the tetrahedron represented by a line drawn between the eyes 12, 12, forms a pivot around which the vessel is adjusted angularly with respect to the supported device, which tends to remain in a vertical plane by its own gravity. This is illustrated most simply where the center or oscillation ot the vessel coincides with the line between the eyes 12, 12 as in Fig. 1, although the same adjustment will occur it the center of oscillation be any line in the plane ot the deck 13. In the ease that this center is inclined to the said line then the oscillation is compensated for partly by the pivot 12, 12 and partly by` the lower pivot 8, 8, some slight vertical and lateral displacement also occurring.

The bar 7 is therefore stabilized in one direction and subject only to oscillation in a direction at right angles thereto. As this bar torms one edge of? the tetrahedron it permits pivotal movement ot the line 12, 12 without material disturbance to the ldevice suspended from the bar. This compensating action is shown in Fig. 2 in which the roll ot deck 13 is transmitted through bar 7 to cause only a slight lateral and vertical "displacement of the berth 20. This is true where the center of rolling oscillation, is other than on the longitudinal vertical plane of 2O andr any Obliquity ot the center to this pivot will be resolved into movement along the pivots 12, l2 and 8, 8.

It will be seen thatl in this arrangement of elements, the bed, chair or the like is rendered substantially free from pivotal movement transmitted from the swinging or swaying action of the vessel. The infinence of' the vessels movement is fully neu-- tralized by theV action of the two pivotal edges of the tetrahedron of support while only a slight lateral and vertical displacement results. The occupant is unaffected by the movement of the vessel.

By lengthening element 14 and shortening element 15 by a corresponding degree the normal inclination of the berth to the horizontal plane may be varied as desired. The weight of the berth will retain these in adjusted position by the frictional engagement between the elements and the castings 8.

While I have illustrated one form in which my invention may be embodied, yet it will be evident that many Vchanges in minor details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims. For example the conventional hammoclrmay be adapted to be suspended in this manner by attaching the elements 17 and 18 to the ends of the hammock stretchers. Again the elements 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 may be rigid with suitable pivotal attachments at the bar 7 and eyes 12, 12.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a freely swinging bed supporting means therefor arranged tetrahedrally, said means being pivotally connected at opposite edges to the supporting structure and the bed respectively.

2. In combination with a freely swinging bed supporting means therefor arranged tetrahedrally, said means lbeing pivotally connected at one edge to a supporting structure and being 'pivotally connected to the bed at another edge at right angles to and in a plane parallel to said first named K edge.

bar and a supporting structure, said con'- Y necting elements being attached to said supporting structure on a single axis inclined with respect to the vertical plane of Said bar.

4. In combination with a freely swinging bed, .flexible suspending elements therefor, al bar to which the elements are attached and about which they are adapted to swing in a vertical plane,connecting elements between said bar and a supporting structure, said connecting elements Abeing attached to said supporting structure on a single axis inclined with respect to the verticalplane of said bar.

5. In combination with a freely swinging bed, two flexible members attached at their ends to the respective ends of the bed,` a bar lying in the vertical plane through one axis of the bed and having means for adjustable frictional engagement with the flexible members and suspending means for said bar on a singley axis inclined to said pla-ne. Y

6. Incombination with a freely swinging bed, two exible members each attachedV at their ends to two adjacent corners of the bed, a bar, means on each'end of the bar to receive the mid-portions of the iiexible members, and suspending elements for attaching said means to a supporting structure pivotal at an angle to the bar.

7. In combination with a freely swinging bed, a bar, castings on the ends of the bar,

each casting having diainetrically Vopposed eyelets, and connecting, means passing through the eyelets for attachment to the bed and to the supporting structure.`

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

MICHAEL OFLANAGAN. 

